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v. n. Rrnnso'N, or

NEW' YORK, N. Y.

SUBMARINE EXPLORER.

Speccaton of Letters Patent No.

21,852, dated october 19, 185s.

T o all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VAN BUREN RYERSON, of the city, county, and State of New York, have` invented new and useful Improvements in Submarine Explorers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure l, is a perspective view of the explorer; and Fig. Q. a perspective .sectional view representing the inside of the two halves as if the apparatus was cut in two by a vertical plane passing through the axis and opened.

The same letters indicate like parts in the several figures.

The object of my invention is the producI tion of an appa atus for submarine explorations by means of which persons may with safety descend to any required depth and remain there for a considerable length of time without communicationv or connection with the surface. And to this end the leading character of my said invention consists in combining with the working chamber or chambers in which the explorers are to be placed, a reservoir containing air compressed to such an extent and in such quantity, and so combined with the said working chamber or chambers that the explorers inside may draw the required supply from the said reservoir to suit their own demands for respiration and to control the buoyant or rising power of the apparatus. And my said invention also consists in combining with the said working chamber or chambers, and said reservoir of compressed air, one or more ballast chambers which by the explorers inside can be made to communicate with the compressed air in the reservoir and with the surrounding water, so that air may be admitted to force out the water when it is required to increase the buoyancy7 of the apparatus to rise, or the water may be introduced to expel the air whenever it is desired to increase the sinking power of the apparatus for the purpose of sinking. And my said invention also consists in purifying the air inside the working chamber or chambers, whenever .it has become vitiated by the respiration of the explorers inside, by a shower of water which in passing like spray through the vitiated atmosphere will absorb the carbonic oxid or carbonio acid given out in respiration, while the said water will at the same time give out the free atmospheric air known to be contained in considerable quantity in water. And my said invention also consists in combining with the working chamber' or chambers and With the reservoir of compressed air, a pump which communicates by means of its eduction pipe with the reservoir of compressed air and by means of a flexible induction pipe with the atmosphere above the surface; the said flexible pipe for this purposebeing provided with a float having a springv valve so regulated 4that it will be kept closed by the pressure ofthe water while rising to the surface, and .opened by the spring after reaching the surface of the water so that when required, in case of accident, by the working of the pump air may be drawn from the surface and forced in the reservoir of compressed air, whenever, from any cause, the supply forced in before sinking becomes insuiicient.

In the accompanying drawings arepresents the outer shell which I prefer to make of a cylindrical shape with a attened dome top. IVithin this there is an inner shell `zy of corresponding form with a space between the two which I denominate the compressed air chamber. Apertures are made at various suitable places and in corresponding parts of the two shells to which are fitted tubes c extending from one shell to the other to which tubes are fitted suitable glasses d for the admission of light and exclusion of water. All the joints are to be made air and water tight. The two shells at their lower end are properly secured to a strong metallic hollow ring e termed the ballast ring.

The space between the two shells is divided by an air tight horizontal partition f, a short distance above `the ballast ring, to form two chambers g and 7c., the one g above the partition as before stated termed the compressed air chamber, and the other z termed the ballast chamber, to aid the ballast ring in ballasting the apparatus under certain circumstances to be presently described.

The space inside the innerishell is divided into two working compartments z' and 7' by a horizontal floor lo with a central hatchway Z Which Vcan at pleasure be closed air tight by a hatch'm to be secured `in any suitable manner. A correspondingl hatch way nis formed through the .dome ofboth shells connected by a cylindrical tube-,0,- both-ends of the said tube vbeing provided with cap or hatch p, Q, connected by a screw bolt r for securing them to exclude water when sinking the apparatus. If desired the inside may be divided into more than two compartments, but I deem two sufficient. the compressed air chamber communicates with the compartments z' and by means of two stop cocks s and t one above and the other below the floor 7c, so that air can be let into either or both of the compartments at any time from the compressed air chamber or reservoir, but a greater number may be employed if desired. is formed between the compressed air chamber g and the ballast chamber /L by means of a bent pipe u governed by a cock or valve. And a like communication is formed between the compressed air chamber g and the inside of the ballast ring e by means of another bent pipe o also governed by a cock or valve. By means of another bent pipe w governed by a cock or valve the ballast chamber communicates with the surrounding water; and by a similar pipe 0a, also governed by a cock or valve, the inside of the ballast ring communcates with the surrounding water. The pipes for forming these several communications extend within the working compartment so as to have the several cocks or valves, by which they are controlled, within the convenient reach of the operators inside the working compartment. The continuosity of the inside of the ballast ring e, and of the ballast chamber 7L, is interrupted by a vertical partition y. This partition is on one side of the communicating pipes above described, and on the other side of the partition the inside of the ballast ring communicates with the surrounding water by a cock e near the bottom, and the ballast chamber 7L in like manner communicates with the surrounding water by a pipe a near the bottom governed by a cock or valve; but both the ballast ring and ballast chamber may be divided into any desired number of compartments to insure the balancing of the apparatus, in which case the several pipes and cocks for the admission of air and water must be multiplied in the same proportion.

There is a pipe b, governed by a cock which passes through the roof of both cases tothe outside where it is bent to have its discharged aperture at the lower end of the bent part, for the purpose of dischargingv A communication Y charge pipe is connected with the pump by a swivel that the bulb may be moved to different parts of the compartment. The purpose of this is to dischargea shower of water near the top of the working chamber that the particles of water in passing through the air of the compartment may absorb the noxious gases given out by the respiration of the operatives, and at the same time give out the free atmospheric air which water is known to contain. There is also another pump g in the working chamber with an eduction pipe 7L leading into the compressed air chamber, and an induction pipe i leadng down near to the bottom to which a flexible tube can be attached when desired. The other end of this flexible tube is to be provided with a float having a valve on its upper part which will open by ay spring when it reaches the surface of the water. The tension of the spring must be so regulated that while the float is rising through the water the pressure on the valve will keep it closed to prevent the entrance of water, but when the pressure is reduced by reaching the atmosphere above, the spring shall force open the valve to admit air. The object of this part of the apparatus is, in case of accident, or when by any circumstance the apparatus is required to remain below a longertime than usually required, the operators inside can get a new supply of air from the surface by attaching the flexible pipe passing the float under the lower edge of the ballast ring, that it may rise to the surface, and then working the pump to take in a fresh supply of air.

The apparatus constructed as above described is to be operated in the following` manner, viZ.-Ai1 is to be forced into the compressed air chamber to a considerable density, say to about four hundred pounds to the square inch, and water excluded from the inside of the. ballast chamber and ballast ring, and suficient pressure of air let into the working chambers so that the apparatus will oat with the dome above the surface. In this condition the hatch m in the fioor is closed air tight, and then the. hatches p, g,

Vin the top, can be opened to take into the apparatus whatever may be required; the

compressed air below the Hoor maintaining `ing chamber so that the hatch in the floor 7c can be opened without shock. In this con-- dit-ion the apparatus will not sink; but when it is desired to sink the two communications between the ballast. ring and the surrounding water are opened, in consequence of which water will enter through the lower CIK one and air escape through the ripper one, and as this takes place the specific gravity of the/whole apparatus with its contents is increased and it begins to sink. Then the whole of this chamber is filled with water the two cocks are to be closed, but it will be perceived that the rapidity with which the substitution of water for air is to take place is entirely under the control of the operatives by means of the cocks, and hence the sinking of the apparatus may be as gradual or quick as may be desired. Then more sinking power is required the same thing is to be done with the ballast chamber, the admission of water to that chamber increasing still further the sinking power of the apparatus. As the apparatus sinks, and the pressure of the superincumbent column of water is thereby increased, the density of the air in the working chambers must be increased in proportion or the water would enter from below t-o too great a height in the working chambers, and it. will be seen that the operators inside have perfect control of this Yby simply opening either one of the cocks leading into the compressed air chamber.

`When at any time it becomes necessary to develop the buoyant or rising power to elevate the apparatus, the communication between either the ballast chamber or the ballast ring, or both, with the surrounding water is to be opened, and also the communication with the compressed air chamber to admit conlpressed air and thereby force out the water. which renders the apparatus buoyant: or this can be done by increasing the density of the air in the working chambers. ln this way the apparatus can, with the greatest ease. and at the will of the operators inside. be maintained at any desired depth, or be made to sink deeper, or to rise, and all this without communication with the surface.

After completing any operation below, and before reaching the surface, it is best to transfer all articles from the working shelf ,j to the floor and close the hatch 7u, and then the pressure of air in the upperI working chamber can be relieved through the discharge pipe o so that when reaching the surface the hatches in the dome or top can be opened to the atmosphere. Care must be taken in rising not to develop the buoyant power of the apparatus too rapidly, as the apparatus can be made to rise at a dangerous velocity. Aand it will also be observed that the pressure of the air in the working chambers should be gradually reduced as the apparatus rises to the surface to correspond with the decreasing pressure of the column.

When operating below whenever the operators find that the air in the working chambers becomes too much vitiated by respiration the pump c is to be operated to discharge a shower or spray from the bulb, which shower falling through the atmosphere of the con'ipartments causes the particles of water to absorb the noxious gases contained in the air, while the water at the same time gives out the free atmospheric air which it contains. In this way by occasionally producing artificial showers through the at-mosphere of the working chambers to carry off the noxious gases the operators are thereby enabled to consume all the oxygen contained in the air together with that contained in the free atmospheric air given out by the water. After the oxygen has been sutliciently consumed the air is to be renovated in the working chambers by drawing a fresh supply from the compressed air chamber; in this way the apparatus can remain a long time under water without danger or serious inconvenience to the operatives inside.

In case of danger the operatives have the means within the apparatus of rising to the surface as rapidly Aas they may desire; and if it should be desired to remain under water longer than contemplated by the supply of air in the compressed air chamber, by sending the float, on the end of the flexible pipe, to the surface, and operating the pump g the supply of air can be renewed at pleasure without the necessity of raising the apparatus; but the use of this part of the apparatus will be of rare occurrence as one charge of air will be ample for the length of time usually required for any one submarine exploration.

Care should be taken never to permit the pressure of the air in the compressed air chamber to get down to the pressure in the working chambers, for in that case it would become impossible to impart the required buoyant power to the apparatus for rising, as the water can only be expelled from any part of the apparatus by air under a tension greater than the pressure of the superincumbent column of water; and in the event of neglecting this precaution it would become necessary to restore the required preponderance of pressure in the compressed air chamber by sending` the float to the surface and working the pump g as before described.

The action of any and all means heretofore employed for forcing the required supply of air in the working chamber from the atmosphere above produces vibrations within the apparatus, which vibrations under the pressure required to exclude the water at considerable depths produce violent actions on the human system, inducing bleeding at the nose and ears, and generally a painful sensation throughout the system. This is entirely avoided in my improved plan as the vibrations are entirely avoided,

there being no pumping operation required for any of the operations, eXcept when it becomes necessary to remain below a greater length of time than was anticipated, and then the pumping in of air is not in the working chambers but in the compressed air chamber and therefore not injurious to the operators.

Any strength given to the apparatus which will resist in the open air the pressure to which the air is to be compressed in the apparatus will be perfectly safe under water because the submersion of the apparatus tends to equalize the pressures outside and inside.

I do not wish it. to be understood that I limit my claim lof invention to the special form and. construction herein specified, as these may be greatly varied within the range of my said invention, so long as the principle or character of my invention is retained.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. rlhe method of controlling the rising and sinking power of the apparatus by means of a reservoir or reservoirs of compressed air connected and combined with a working chamber or chambers and rising and sinking therewith, substantially as described, so that the operators within, by the use of the compressed air can readily control the rising and sinking power of the apparatus without Communication wit-h the surface, substantially as set forth.

2. I also claim in a submarine explorer in which the rising and sinking power is controlled by a reservoir or reservoirs of compressed air making part thereof and rising and sinking therewith and in which there are two or more working chambers, substantially as described, the dividing the said working chambers by a hatch way which can be closed water and air tight substantially as described, to sustain the apparatus with the top above water when the said top is open for any purpose, as set forth. c

3. I also claim in combination with the reservoir or reservoirs of compressed air connected and combined with one or more working chambers, and rising and sinking therewith, substantially as described, the employment of one or more ballast chambers at or near-the bottom, and so arranged, substantially as described, that at the will of the operators, they can be made to communicate with the compressed air reservoir or reservoirs, and with' the surrounding water, as described, to increase the lifting or sinking power of the apparatus, as set forth.

4. And I also claim in a submarine eX- plorer combining with the working chamber or chambers thereof the employment of a spray or shower of water, which at the will of the operators inside may be discharged at any time required to purify the air by absorption, substantially as described.

5. And I also claim in combination with the reservoir or reservoirs for compressed air, combined and moving with one or more working chambers, the employment of .a pump which can be worked by the operators within, and which communicates with the reservoir or reservoirs of compressed air, and also, by means of a flexible pipe and float provided with a self acting valve, with the atmosphere above substantially as described, so that in case of accident the operators within can replenish the air in the reservoirs to enable them to control the apparatus, as described.

V. B. RYERSON.

lVitnesses:

WVM. II. BISHOP, WM. C. BROWN. 

